SAN JACINTO: Council commits $50,000 to start special event

The grassy quad area in the background is proposed as the setting for the San Jacinto Music, Culinary and Sustainability Festival proposed by the city of San Jacinto and its partner in the endeavor, the nonprofit Mt. San Jacinto College Foundation. Scheduled a year from now, any festival profits would go toward college scholarships.

After a long debate, the San Jacinto City Council has voted to commit $50,000 from the city’s general fund to launch a Music, Culinary and Sustainability Festival aimed at millennials.

The money will come from the city’s general fund, which pays for the city’s day-to-day operating expenses. Council members agreed 5-0 Tuesday, May 6, that they will work with city staff to make cuts in other areas to cover the cost.

The festival, to be staged at Mt. San Jacinto College’s San Jacinto campus, has its cheerleaders, but some on the council, such as Mayor Alonso Ledezma and Mayor Pro Tem Crystal Ruiz, had misgivings at first about the cost and whether it might detract from other city events.

Rather than committing the same amount in each of the following five years to its partner in the event, the college’s nonprofit Mt. San Jacinto College Foundation, the council agreed to reduce that support by $10,000 per year after the first year. Event dates are May 7 and 8, 2015.

The festival’s champion is Councilman Andrew Kotyuk, who had been meeting with Roger Schultz, the college’s superintendent/president, who has a leadership role with the foundation.

City Development Director Sharon Paisley and Leslie McClellan, a tourism marketing consultant paid by the city, also participated in initial conceptual planning.

Any profits will benefit the college’s scholarship program.

“Our foundation board did discuss this on March 20 and they agreed it would be a good partnership,” said college spokeswoman Karin Marriott. “Mt. San Jacinto College is proud to host the city of San Jacinto event.”

The city and foundation will negotiate terms of an agreement detailing commitments of each. The college would supply about $6,500 in in-kind donations, including use of the facilities, staff support and marketing materials.

The college’s quad area, a sunken area surrounded by lush green lawns, would be the focal point.

“It’s a great idea. It’s just the timing,” Ledezma said.

He was concerned that a new event might detract from an event such as the city’s annual Cinco de Mayo event, which Ledezma said attracted 3,500 to 4,000 participants May 3 on a shoestring budget of $1,500.

The fall Agricultural Festival, an ode to the valley’s historical roots, has a $25,000 budget but no room at the Francisco Estudillo Heritage Park to expand as a regional tourist draw with a rodeo.

Kotyuk said he received a call from Schultz earlier in the day that he had to travel to Sacramento and would not be able to attend the council meeting.

Paisley said the festival idea comes from the Chipotle restaurant chain’s “Cultivate” festival event, staged at major cities around the country.

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